


The Universe's Secrets

by dianna44



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Developing Relationship, Embedded Images, Introspection, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Pre-Relationship, Relationship Study, Sappy, Tension, There's so much tension literally it's ridiculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-25 09:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14974127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dianna44/pseuds/dianna44
Summary: A quick, sudden, and deliberate step forward is all it takes to change a life.In this case, that step changed two.3 times Victor smiles at Yuuri + 3 times Yuuri smiles at Victor. A character exploration of Victor and Yuuri's early relationship.





	The Universe's Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> oh my god the blood sweat and TEARS i put into this tiny 5k fic u would not believe............................... it seemed as if the entire world conspired against me to NOT have this fic finished in time. 
> 
> but alas!!!!! i persevered!!!!
> 
> anyway, a few notes!!!!
> 
> firstly: a wonderful human being named jercy made a wonderful gifset that goes along with this fic!!!!! they were such a thoughtful partner to have and i'm very grateful they were so fun and easy to work with!!!!!!~~~ i hope u like the fic~~~  
> the link to the gifset is [here!](http://striveattemptfail.tumblr.com/post/175377607005)  
>   
> secondly: a BIG thank u to the wonderful mod of this exchange, mac!!!!! thank u for setting some time aside in ur life to make this bang possible :)
> 
> thirdly: and to my beautiful beta lillian, thank uwu. 
> 
> fourthly: to all my new readers: i love u. to all my old readers: i love u and this will (probably) be my last yoi fic (besides my 2 wips that WILL be completed) that i ever write. i am taking commissions for fics though so u can leave a comment on here, email me in the email in my profile, or message me on tumblr (provided in the end notes), and i'll give you more details! i love u all~~~~
> 
> i hope u all enjoy!!!!!

                            

 

_Victor's smile ~~1~~ 2 3_

 

Yuuri can feel Victor's eyes on him as he skates. He figures he should be used to this feeling, used to Victor's watchful gaze, but Victor still makes him just as nervous as he did when he showed up just a few weeks ago.

Yuuri knows he shouldn't be thinking about the other man at all and he blames himself when he becomes too distracted and loses his balance, falling forward, his hands saving him from a possible major injury.

"Yuuri!" Victor exclaims, making his way across the ice in mere seconds, coming to an abrupt stop as he reaches him, leaning down to help him back up.

Yuuri leans away from his grip, standing up on his own.

"I'm okay," he says, his gaze meeting Victor's. "I'm okay," he says again.

Victor studies him, eyes glancing down at Yuuri's hands.

"You're bleeding," he says.

Yuuri looks down at his hands, the blood momentarily shocking him. He blinks.

"Oh."

Victor sighs, running a hand through his hair, and Yuuri experiences a moment of panic. Is he still not good enough? Is this fall the last straw before Victor finally decides to just abandon him?

(He figures he should have gotten better at that as well. The whole feeling insecure thing. Victor has promised him time and time again that he isn't going anywhere, but Yuuri still can't come up with a reason why he would stay.)

"I'm sorry. I saw you were distracted, but I didn't stop you. Here. Let's get you cleaned up," says Victor. Victor reaches to grab his wrist, but Yuuri pulls his hand away before he can, clutching it with his other injured one as he stares at Victor.

"It's my fault. Not yours. I was the distracted one."

"I never said it was my fault," Victor responds, amused.

Yuuri blushes. "O-oh, well—"

"But I am sorry. Come on. I don't want you getting infected. Plus, you're bleeding everywhere."

They skate off the rink quickly, taking off their skates and putting on their shoes in the dressing room in silence.

Yuuri feels tense and he isn't quite sure as to why. He feels like Victor wants to say something else to him, he feels like maybe he should say something more, he feels like something else should be happening, but Victor doesn't say anything and Yuuri doesn't say anything and they both stand up.

"Are there medical supplies here?" Victor asks.

Yuuri mutely nods his head. "They should be in the storage room."

"Where is that?"

"Two doors down, to the left."

Victor nods and gestures vaguely at Yuuri's injured hands. "Don’t… I mean… I'll be right back."

"Okay."

Victor leaves the room quickly and Yuuri wonders if maybe he should have gone with him. He sits back down again, sighing as he does.

This isn't Yuuri's first injury skating, but it is his first under Victor's coaching. He wonders if Victor feels disappointed in him. He wonders if Victor is thinking that he's misjudged his abilities. The confidence Yuuri felt when Victor chose him fades away and his insecurities start to eat away at his mind, proving just how quickly his negative thoughts can change everything.

Victor returns a minute later, a first aid kit in hand. He kneels in front of Yuuri quickly, but instead of just taking Yuuri's hands in his own, he stops, pausing as he glances up at Yuuri, the silent question in his eyes.

Yuuri nods, breath leaving him, and Victor takes his hands in his own.

At first, Yuuri thinks that Victor will treat him in silence, but he's quickly proven wrong when Victor clears his throat and says, "I don't like seeing you hurt."

"It's really not a big d—"

"I should have known. I should have said something. And I know the injury could be much worse, but… but I don't know."

Yuuri stares at Victor's frustrated expression for a few short seconds before Yuuri sighs and leans forward, placing his forehead against the top of Victor's head.

Victor's hands stop moving and Yuuri swears he feels a bit of pressure from Victor squeezing them.

"I should have told you. Also, I wasn't wholly aware of how distracted I was. I'm okay. I promise."

Yuuri pulls back, he pulls back so Victor can't read the thoughts that Yuuri has barely just begun to acknowledge that are hidden behind the front he puts out for the world to see, he pulls back so Victor doesn't feel uncomfortable, he pulls back and Yuuri immediately wants to pull him back in.

Victor takes a deep breath, quickly resuming his ministrations, but he lets out a frustrated sigh nonetheless.

"I know you know this, but this is my first time coaching so seriously. It's… I admit it's a bit strange to teach rather than learn. Sometimes, I just feel as if… as if I can't be who you want me to be, Yuuri. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I know I can be a good coach, but other times, you'll _look_ at me and…." Victor trails off and Yuuri wants to know what he was going to say, but he stays silent.

"It's okay," is what he says instead.

Victor continues to patch him up in silence, Yuuri marveling at the neatly placed band-aids on each of his hands.

"Thank you," Yuuri says softly, smiling down at Victor, who's still grasping his hands tightly. Eventually, Victor lets go, looking back up at Yuuri with an expression Yuuri can only barely detect.

"Of course, Yuuri."

And when Victor smiles up at him, Yuuri understands something he didn't realize just seconds prior.

This man means something to him.

And he means something to this man.

 

~

 

A quick, sudden, and deliberate step forward is all it takes to change a life.

Victor simply never expected it to be his own.

He never expected that when he'd fly out to Japan to meet the man that had unintentionally stolen a bit of him at the banquet, he'd find himself willingly giving up more and more to the man.

Yuuri was a springtime that Victor had never experienced before. Determination set their summer together, but a mutual understanding that something, _something_ was happening between the two of them settled over their interactions, their actions following a mutable path of everything they had yet to say to each other.

Victor was absolutely enamored. Sometimes, he'd feel himself holding his breath when Yuuri walked into the room. Sometimes, he'd catch himself staring at different features of Yuuri's face.

At first, Victor felt ridiculous. He felt ridiculous for his racing heart and the way his body yearned to be closer to Yuuri. He felt ridiculous because he had already been rejected. He was ridiculous.

He is ridiculous.

But he likes it so much. He likes how Yuuri laughs at things Victor says and he likes how _strong_ Yuuri is, in body and mind and, especially, heart.

Victor likes so much about Yuuri. He likes the way Yuuri leans his head on Victor's shoulder when he's especially tired, so tired he probably doesn't even realize what he's doing. He likes the way Yuuri tries to complain about things that Victor would never have thought to complain about, but takes everything else, every other difficult obstacle, in stride.

Victor likes the way Yuuri makes him feel. He likes being his coach. He likes being his friend.

He likes being around him.

And yet Victor still can't seem to figure out the one thing that'll set it all in motion.

(Victor likes Yuuri.)

 

_Yuuri's smile ~~1~~ 2 3_

 

After a particularly grueling practice one day, before Victor can say anything, Yuuri pushes his hair back, looks him dead in the eyes, and says, "Do you want to go out and eat with me?"

Victor stares back, the words turning over themselves in his head.

"Of course. Where?"

"You've eaten there. Nagahama Ramen?"

Victor lights up. "Oh, yes, I loved their food!"

Yuuri nods, a smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, they have pretty amazing food. Deals too. Cheap _and_ good? Sign me up."

Victor laughs, nodding excitedly. " _Exactly_."

They both clean up, taking turns in the shower that's in the rink. When they're finished packing everything up, there's a moment of understanding that passes between the pair of them.

Unofficially, this is… akin to a date.

Victor feels confused about this silent tension between them sometimes.

He knows Yuuri's already rejected him, but sometimes… sometimes it feels as if Yuuri is opening his arms up wide, albeit a bit shyly. Sometimes, he feels like he's not alone in this.

Their walk to the shop is relatively quick, both of them exchanging quiet pleasantries and anecdotes.

When they arrive, they're seated and taken care of quickly. After their order is taken, Victor turns to Yuuri to face him fully, a little startled to see Yuuri already peering at him.

"Is this weird?" Yuuri asks.

Victor laughs. "Not at all. What could be weird about it?"

Yuuri shrugs and Victor is captured by the blush that spreads across his cheeks.

Yuuri looks away for a second, staring at the worker make their food. He leans down, placing his head on his arms.

"You know… the first time I came here was the day that I decided I wanted to be a skater."

"Really?"

Yuuri nods, a small smile playing at his lips. "Yeah. I came with my parents. It had just opened up. I don't remember it in detail, but I remember telling them my dream. They never laughed at me. They were a bit confused a bit, of course, but they told me to 'go for it.' And I still am. Going for it."

The words dance in the air around them and Victor feels a comfortable warmth spread in his chest.

"I'm glad you are. The skating world would be a duller place without you in it."

Yuuri scoffs. "I haven't really done much. Not compared to you. I'm barely a blip in the universe you've created."

Victor frowns at Yuuri's self-deprecation and comparison.

"You're an excellent skater, Yuuri. Truly. I'm only okay with you comparing yourself to me if it inspires and motivates you, not if it makes you beat yourself up."

Yuuri sighs but nods nonetheless, and Victor wants to take this beautiful man's face in his hands and exclaim to him how amazing he is, ask him how and why he can't see that.

But he stays quiet and their food arrives.

They eat in silence for a minute or two, but conversation happens naturally after that. Victor can't help but notice that Yuuri is just a bit more reserved than before, having closed off only minimally, but to a degree that it bothers Victor.

Every so often, Victor finds himself trapped between the Yuuri in front of him and the Yuuri from the banquet night. He wonders why Yuuri has yet to bring up that night with him, he wonders if Yuuri is just embarrassed, he wonders if Yuuri is trying to spare his feelings, he wonders what was so different between the two versions, and why he can't see any of it.

Because with both versions of the same man, Victor is completely enraptured.

Yuuri has so many different dynamics to him and Victor just wants to _know_ him.

And Victor is speaking before he can stop himself. "You're going to do really great, you know. If you've got my heart, you'll capture the heart of everyone else too."

Yuuri blushes. "W-what?"

"I mean, you're a very likable person, Yuuri. But that combined with your programs? The way you _move_? You'll do amazing, Yuuri. You can win. I know it."

Yuuri stares at him, eyes wide and mouth open just a bit, but Victor watches the way his eyes gradually light up, and Victor watches the beautiful smile take place.

Yuuri's smile holds the universe's secrets in it.

Victor wants to know everything about the man in front of him.

 

~

 

Yuuri has always been a hard worker. He's always been determined, so determined he could be considered stubborn in his work ethic. He's always been passionate.

But Victor makes him feel these things tenfold. Victor makes him want to work harder. Victor makes him even more passionate. Victor makes his determination soar.

Victor inspires him to better himself in ways he didn't allow himself to consider before.

He lacks confidence of all things. He lacks the confidence. He lacks the confidence. That's what he would repeat over and over and over again.

Yuuri Katsuki lacks confidence.

But Victor tells him that his confidence is simply lost within his insecurities. He doesn't lack it at all. It's there. It's there, but it's hidden away from him.

And it's Yuuri's job to find it.

Yuuri doesn't lack confidence, but instead, he lost his confidence. And he can easily find it again.

Victor inspires him in a way that's different than before. Before, there was an element of idolization to it, an element of jealousy and want, but now… now Yuuri simply feels _supported_.

With all the mistakes he's continually made, Victor never truly berated him for it. And with that gradual acceptance that Victor won't leave him behind, that Victor is here to stay, that Victor won't look at his mistakes as Yuuri's whole being, Yuuri starts to immerse himself in his confidence once again.

Yuuri Katsuki isn't the most confident man in the world and he isn't the best skater in the world either and he isn't so confident that he never feels bad about himself, but he finds _himself_ once again.

He links hands with himself, a version of himself that's always been himself, and he takes a step forward.

It's a changing aspect in his relationship with who he is.

And it's a beginning aspect in his relationship with Victor Nikiforov.

 

_Victor's smile ~~1~~ ~~2~~ 3_

 

"Do they need help with anything?"

"No, no, they're fine."

"Are you sure? I can help. I'd love to help, honestly," says Victor.

Yuuri bites down a grin. Victor has been nagging him for days now on how he can help out the family.

"It's really okay. You're coaching me. That's more than payment enough."

Victor still doesn't look convinced. "I'm not doing it for _payment_. I would just… like to help."

As if she heard they were subtly talking about her, Yuuri's mom walks into the room then and smiles at Yuuri.

"What's going on?" she asks, tone and expression shifting into one of alarm when Victor suddenly stands up.  

Yuuri groans. "He's trying to help again."

"Oh, what a _sweetheart_ ~"

"What is she saying?" Victor asks as Yuuri's mother fondly coos over him.

Yuuri lets out a suffering sigh.

"She says to shut up and she hates you for trying to help."

"That's not what she said!"

Yuuri sighs again. "Fine. She said you were a sweetheart."

"For wanting to help?"

Yuuri rolls his eyes and looks back at his mother. She's watching their exchange with an amused expression. "No. I mean, _yes_ , but I think it's more of a… general thing."

Victor, heaven forbid, begins to coo at his mother as well. Yuuri cannot believe nor understand this situation he's in.

And before Yuuri can say anything else, Victor is already excitedly following Yuuri's mother out of the room.

Yuuri stands up hurriedly, alarming himself when he nearly falls over.

"Victor!  _Mom_!"

They ignore him.

Yuuri finally understands what true betrayal means.

He follows them quickly, rushing into the kitchen to see Victor happily washing dishes. Yuuri stops, freezing in the doorway as he takes in the sight.

His mother is drying dishes and putting them away, his sister is packing up the food they didn't eat, and his father is cleaning the table, and Victor… Victor fits in with all three of them.

Yuuri's struck suddenly with how much he cares about Victor, with how much he wants to see this scene again and again, with how much this sight screams _family_ to him.

"Yuuri!" Victor exclaims, turning his head and absolutely _beaming_ at Yuuri.

Yuuri's heart stops.

And then resumes, beating quicker and quicker and quicker.

And Yuuri can't help it. He laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs.

Because somehow, because somehow after all these weeks and weeks, it took Victor washing his family dishes while beaming at Yuuri for Yuuri to finally realize, to finally understand, that he's in love with him.

He's in love with Victor.

 

_Yuuri's smile ~~1~~ ~~2~~ 3_

 

On one of Yuuri's only true days off, Victor teaches Yuuri how to make some classic Russian dishes. There's music playing in the background, of which Yuuri will occasionally hum along to (Victor doesn't because he doesn't recognize over half of it), and Yuuri laughs loudly as Victor jabs him in the side with the end of a mixing spoon.

Their night in together is quiet and beautiful, a soft lullaby of their laughter echoing throughout the room constantly.

Long after Yuuri's family have gone to sleep, Victor and Yuuri giggle as they make their way down the hallway to their separate bedrooms.

They're both slightly tipsy since they had both taken shots every now and then for absolutely no reason except comfortable fun.

Victor feels warm all over and he realizes he's holding Yuuri's hand, Yuuri grasping on just as tightly.

They crowd together at the end of the hallway, Yuuri's closed door staying shut as they both gaze at each other in the darkness.

"After we both retire from figure skating forever, we could open a restaurant. A Japanese restaurant where they serve  _Russian_ dishes."

They both erupt into giggles at that.

"But we only serve Japanese drinks!" Yuuri chimes in, eyes filled with mirth.

Victor nods. "You understand me so well. And we make all the guests flip a coin to see if they'll be given the Japanese or Russian dessert menu!"

Yuuri laughs so hard he presses his face into Victor's shoulder, his hands tightly gripping Victor's shirt.

Victor finds everything about Yuuri comfortable and exhilarating. He finds every single aspect about the man in front of him beautiful.

Victor pulls back.

"I guess we should go to sleep," he says, hating how cold he feels when he removes Yuuri's hands off his shirt.

Yuuri stands still, looking down.

"Yuuri?"

Yuuri looks up and Victor is stunned to see him look afraid. If Victor wasn't tipsy, he'd probably overreact, but the sake calms his nerves, making him reach over and grasp his cheek. Yuuri presses his face against Victor's hand and Victor can feel Yuuri's breath warm his skin.

"I'll still be here tomorrow."

Yuuri frowns, pulling back. "That's not what I was afraid of."

"Then what was?"

Yuuri shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm not afraid of it anymore."

Victor can't help but smile at that.

And it's when Yuuri smiles back, shyly, but determined, does Victor Nikiforov finally realize.

"Good night, Victor," Yuuri whispers before slipping into his room.

Victor's in love with Yuuri.

"Good night, Yuuri," he whispers back, the empty hallway leaving him feeling alone.

 

~

 

Insecurity starts to eat away at Yuuri when he finally realizes that he's in love with Victor.

Victor, the bright star in the skating world, the prince, the king, the legend.

Yuuri… none of those things.

And Yuuri knows that isn't why he feels insecure, but it doesn't help his logic try to reason out the lingering touches or the fond looks.

His insecurity grows simply because the fear of loving someone who doesn't love him back grows.

Yuuri can't allow himself to hope that Victor will love him back and it scares him. And it hurts.

And it seems almost unfair. Even if, logically, he knows that it isn't.

It just is.

Yuuri has always had a bit of a crush on Victor, long before they ever met.

It's different now. Yuuri _knows_ Victor. He learns more about him every single day and the days only keep passing.

He doesn't want to lose Victor.

Sometimes, Yuuri convinces himself that Victor already knows, already understands. Yuuri feels as if he _must_. How could Victor  _not_ be able to understand when he watches Yuuri skate every damn day?

Yuuri puts his love in his skating, puts all the uselessness and passion he feels. He makes every move _mean_ exactly what he's feeling so how could Victor _not_ know?

But Victor has never given any indication that he knows anything.

There are moments of thoughtfulness between them both sometimes. But Yuuri is no longer able to pinpoint whether he's simply overthinking it because of his own feelings or if Victor really is looking at him like he's something more special than anybody else.

Yuuri doesn't deny his emotions, but he doesn't confront them either. He just lets them be.

They are what they are.

And they will continue to be.

 

_Victor's smile ~~1~~ ~~2~~ ~~3~~_

 

Yuuri feels his frustration grow as the day goes by. It seems like the world is against him today and even worse, his own mind is against him.

He skates to an abrupt stop after picking himself up from falling _again_. His body hurts unnecessarily more today, so unnecessarily so that Yuuri almost thinks he's just making up the pain.

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri turns to meet his gaze with Victor.

"Come over here!" Victor shouts again.

Yuuri sighs, moving casually across the ice.

Pressing his body against the wall of the rink, he places his elbows on it and leans forward, his body thrumming with the anticipation of what might happen, what could happen with Victor and Yuuri so close like this?

"You're distracted. What's bothering you?"

Yuuri purses his lips, pulling back and gripping the wall with his hands. "I'm not good."

"What's wrong?"

Yuuri shakes his head. "No. I mean… I'm not as good as you think I am, Victor. I don't know if I can have this ready in time."

Victor frowns, worry etched into his face. "We could make the program easier…?"

"No!" Yuuri exclaims.

Silence stretches between the two of them like a lazy cat and Yuuri sighs again, frustrated with himself in all ways.

"Yuuri?" Victor's hands cover Yuuri's and Yuuri is forced to focus on anything except how nice it feels.

And Yuuri is stressed. He's stressed. He's stressed about this program and he's stressed about his feelings toward Victor and he's stressed about what his family and friends will think of him if he fails _again_ because he just does that over and over again all he does is _fail_ and—

"Yuuri."

Victor squeezes Yuuri's hand for a brief moment before his touch turns to honey as Victor gently caresses the back of his hand with his own.

Yuuri watches Victor's hand's movement for a few more seconds before he finally shakes his head, pulling his own hand back.

"I can't make it easier. That'd be giving up. I can't give up, Victor, but… but sometimes I just _want_ to."

Yuuri doesn't know what he expected Victor say or do, but Victor's smile isn't what he expected at all. It's a loving smile, a bittersweet smile, a fond smile, a smile that makes Yuuri's bones turn to jelly.

"Everybody wants to give up sometimes, Yuuri. And it's okay to give up too. I've wanted to give up everything more times than I can count, and I can assure you my reasons aren't as good as yours."

"You don't even know my reasons."

"I do."

Yuuri's breath hitches when Victor reaches forward and grasps his hand again.

"You're afraid of the world making fun of you. You're afraid you'll fail. You're afraid you'll have put in all this effort and nothing will come out of it."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I've felt it."

"Victor…."

"No, Yuuri, listen for a second." Victor tightens his grip and Yuuri swallows down what he was going to say. "Yuuri, if the whole world is against you, do not make them your world. You… you once told me that you're barely a blip in the universe I created. Yuuri… in the universe I've created, you're every single galaxy there is. And in the universe _you've_ created and  _can_ create, you are whatever you wish yourself to be."

Yuuri laughs despite the tears that have started to fall and he grasps onto Victor's hand just as tightly.

"That was so sappy."

"Hey!" Victor exclaims, pouting.

Yuuri laughs again, retracting one of his hands to wipe at his tears.

"But thank you, Victor."

He smiles widely at Victor.

Victor smiles back.

 

~

 

Victor finds it easy to love Yuuri. So easy in fact that he wonders if he's been in love the entire time. Nothing particularly groundbreaking changes after his own realization.

The only new development is the random bouts of insecure hurt he'll feel. Victor's confidence will waver when he wants to wrap his arms around Yuuri or when he feels the overarching need to be there for the other man.

He doesn't know if he's overstepping his boundaries, so he does his best to stop completely.

Yuuri notices of course. And Victor isn't adept enough to know how he's supposed to handle it.

But Victor wants to give Yuuri the world.

But even more, Victor wants so badly to exist in Yuuri's world.

He's opened up to Yuuri so much more quickly than anybody else and it makes him happy, it makes him feel comfortable to know that someone like Yuuri Katsuki cares about someone like him.

Victor wants to let him know though. He wants to tell Yuuri everything. He wants to tell him about the thoughts he has about him and he wants to tell him every time he looks beautiful. Victor wants to tell him everything.

And it'll be any day now when he finally gives in and breaks.

He just hopes it doesn't break apart.

 

_Yuuri's smile ~~1~~ ~~2~~ ~~3~~_

 

The first time they both talked about their future together was on a park bench early one morning. They had both gone out for their morning run, but the weather seemed particularly appealing that day, appealing enough that the pair of them stopped and decided to take a fifteen-minute break on a wooden bench.

"What are you going to do? After everything is over? The Grand Prix?" Yuuri asks and Victor's gaze snaps to him in surprise.

Victor thinks about it and he realizes he doesn't know.

"I don't know."

"You don't?"

Victor shrugs. "I suppose not. I've thought many things about the future, but I haven't in a while. I don't think about the future when I'm with you."

Yuuri's voice comes out in a whisper when he asks, "What do you think about then?"

"The present. What's right in front of me. I don't like to worry about things I know nothing about yet."

Yuuri snorts. "I wish I could think like that."

"You can."

"Shush. We can't all be perfect like you," Yuuri teases.

Victor knows it was a joke, but his body freezes nonetheless.

"You don't actually think that, right?"

"That you're perfect?"

"Yes." Victor's answer is quiet.

"No, Victor. I don't actually think that."

Victor lets out a breath he hadn't even been aware he was holding. "Good."

"Anybody with a hairline like yours couldn't be perfect."

"W-wha—" Victor splutters, indignant.

Yuuri throws his head back and laughs. Victor wonders how nobody else can see how mean Yuuri can truly be, the snake.

"Do… do you really think my hairline is receding?"

"Yes."

" _Yuu—_ "

Yuuri's hand comes up to brush the top of his hair. "But it's you. And I like who you are."

Victor's mouth snaps shut and Yuuri pulls his hand back reluctantly.

And Victor feels it again. The overwhelming need to tell Yuuri everything he's ever thought about him, everything he's thinking right now, everything and everything and _everything_.

And for the first time in a long while, Victor suddenly feels very afraid.

"In my so-called future, you're with me as my hair recedes."

"What?"

Victor sighs. "You can be in my future, Yuuri. If… if you'd like to be."

The statement, the _implication_ , hangs in the air for what seems like ages to Victor.

But then Yuuri gives the most beautiful smile of them all, the sun rising in tandem, the stars going out with an even brighter star showing his face, and Victor thinks that everything that's led up to this moment, everything he's ever done for him to be able to see this smile, has been worth it.

Victor grabs his hand and the two of them don't let go as they watch the sunrise together.

 

~

 

It's different, Yuuri thinks, the world is. The world is different when Yuuri finally lets himself be supported.

By Victor, especially, but more importantly, by himself.

Yuuri loves Victor. He loves Victor.

And he loves how his relationship feels with him. Yuuri doesn't feel overwhelmed and he doesn't feel obligated to do or say anything and he doesn't feel the end just as the beginning had started.

Yuuri likes where they are. He likes that he just knows. He knows this isn't a summer or seasonal fling.

Of course, there's still a part of him that fears their end, but that isn't where they're at right now.

They've barely just begun.

And Yuuri is _excited_.

 

~

 

Yuuri has made Victor love skating in a completely different way. Victor had long thought he'd found everything he could find to love about skating. He had gone over each pose, each beat of each song, each commenter's praise, but when Victor watched Yuuri skate, it was as if it was the first time he skated all over again and more.

Yuuri made the sport feel alive. He made the music sing with each movement and Victor came to believe that if Yuuri stopped altogether, he'd never hear a song again.

And when Victor realized he was in love with Yuuri, he fell in love with skating again. But this time, as a fan. This time, as a lover. This time, as a supporter and a friend. This time, he was the audience and Yuuri was the dancer on ice.

Victor thought back to the moment he saw Yuuri skating his program on his phone.

Victor never thought that when he came to Japan searching for something Victor couldn't name back then, he'd end up where he is today.

At the same time, however, he wished and wanted and hoped from the beginning so much so it seemed almost like he expected it.

And when Yuuri comes to a stop, Victor claps his hands together and thinks that maybe he'll retire from retirement and go back to skating.

He won't tell Yuuri this of course.

Not until he wins.

 

_Victor and Yuuri's smiles, ∞_

 

On a quiet night, not even a week before Yuuri's first competition, Victor and Yuuri dance together.

The music is soft, so quiet it can't be heard, but Victor hums out a song that he makes up as Yuuri presses his head against Victor's chest.

Yuuri glances up at Victor and smiles, and when Victor smiles back, Yuuri finally understands that it's always been there. And he's always known. Just from the way Victor looked at him.

He laughs quietly to himself and, briefly, wonders when Victor thought the same.

And in Victor's mind, he looks down at Yuuri and thinks that Yuuri looks radiant.

An entire damn universe.

Dancing together. 

 

~ 

 

_fin_

 

**Author's Note:**

> wasn't this like? the sappiest shit ever lmao? like is that my job? to write sappy fics?
> 
> anyway! let me know what u thought!! a big thank u to jercy once again for being a wonderful partner in this bang! Blease go give some love to their gifset :'''')
> 
> the masterpost is [here!](http://yurionicebigbang.tumblr.com/post/175385975425/the-universes-secrets-author)  
> jercy's gifset is [here!](http://striveattemptfail.tumblr.com/post/175377607005)  
> my personal post is [here!](http://literallynothingbutvictuuri.tumblr.com/post/175377754452/a-quick-sudden-and-deliberate-step-forward-is)  
>   
> (i know omg so many links wtf)
> 
> follow me on tumblr (if u so desire) @ [literallynothingbutvictuuri](http://literallynothingbutvictuuri.tumblr.com/)  
> follow jercy on tumblr @ [striveattemptfail](http://striveattemptfail.tumblr.com)  
> and if you're so curious, check my website @ [diannamorales.com](http://www.diannamorales.com)  
> all the love to u all 
> 
> -dianna xxxx


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